Moistening device



May 17, 1938. E. M. BROOKS MOISTENING DEVICE Filed OC'li.. 28, 1935 Patented May 17, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT CFE@ 47,118, October 23, 1935.

This application May 26, 1937, Serial No. 146,324

' 5 Claims.

My invention relates to moistening devices for envelopes and the like, and more particularly to a simple .and inexpensive moistening machine having a porous moistening drum that is adapted to ride upon the object to be moistened; and

The object is to provide a moistener in which the mechanism is removably mounted on a container cover so that various sizes and shapes of water containers may be used.

Another object is to provide a moistener of the minimum number of parts which are constructed as to require the least amount of elort in the assembly thereof.

Still another object is to provide a moistener so that the moistening rollerand its housing will rest upon the object to be moistened, with sufficient weight, to cause the same toY be rotated.

An advantage of this device is that the moistening roller is so positioned in a housing as to eliminate a greater amount of evaporation of the water from the roller as well as from the water container. This permits more extensive use of the moistener without the necessity of frequent stops to replenish the water supply.

Another advantage of thisinvention is that the moistening drum is provided with a wick that projects into the water supply in a manner so as to not interfere with the rotation cf the drum, and in a manner so as to uniformiy moisten the drum.

Another advantage of this invention is that when, an envelope is stuffed, it may be directly passed into operative relation with the device without the necessity of changing the position ol.' 35 the envelope in the hands of the operator, thus eliminating waste of time in turning and grasping the envelope in some awkward manner as is so often necessary in using the conventional type of moistener.

Other objects and advantages will be more particularly pointed out in the following description and the invention Will be fully explained in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this application.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device, showing a simple type of water well that may be used with the same.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the device, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig, 5 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the wheel housing, showing a removable bearing for one end of the moistening drum.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the core of the moistening wheel or drum having a portion of the wick inserted therein. 5

Fig. '7 is a face view of one of the ber units of the moistening drum or wheel.

Fig. 8 is a view of the removable bearing, taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of a portion of the mois- :lo tening wheel housing showing a variation in the structure of the bearing support.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the lid of the water container.

Similar characters of reference are used to in- `l dicate the same parts throughout the several views.

The device consists o-f a moistening wheel comprising a tubing which serves as the core of a porous moistening surface. The tubing or core l is provided with longitudinal slots 2 and perforations 3. The perforations 3 are formed by pushing in portions of the tubing in a manner so as to' form pointed projections in the tubing that point towards one end ci the tubing. The porous moistening surface may consist of a plurality of disks 5 which are provided with central openings that will pass over the tubing l. These openings of the disks 5 areformed irregular so that portions of the disks may project into the n slots 2 and through the perforations 3 and into 30 the tubing l. The end of the core or tubing, in the direction the points of the perforations 3 project, is provided with a bolt that serves as an axle for the tubing. This end of the tubing l is 35 threaded toI receive the bolt 4. When the disks 5 are placed side by side on the tubing l a metallic disk 1 is passed over each end of the tubing and against the disks 5 so as to compress them a sufiicient degree to permit them to carry the desired .40 moisture.

The end ci a Wick 5 is inserted into the other end of the tubing l and forced therein until it contacts with the end of the bolt 4. The other end of the wick is permitted to extend through an opening in the lid IB and into the base of the water container 8 of the device. The prongs, formed in making the perforations 3, serve to engage and hold the wick in the tubing l so that it may have -direct engagement with each .and every one of the porous disks 5 of the moistening wheel. This arrangement of the wick and the disks 5 makes a continuous porous conveyer of the water, from the well 8 to the surface of the water moistening wheel. 'Ihe wick 6 contacts with the por- `g55 tions of the disks 5 that project into the tubing I, and the prongs projected into the tubing I holds the wick in a manner so as to not compress it and in a manner so that it may have its maximum eiiciency. These prongs also insure a safe retainer for the wick i3 when the wheel is rotated.

The moistening wheel, which consists of the core I, disks 5, and wick I5, is rotatably removably mounted in a housing 9 which is adapted to rest upon the lid IIJ of the water well or container 8 of the device. The housing 9 is preferably formed in an elongated cylindrical form of a greater length than the length of the water wheel or moistening wheel and adapted to incase the wheel. The housing 9 is formed similar to a hood, when viewed in cross-section. Its base is cutaway and formed so as to have outwardly curved edge extensions I8, adjacent the lid II), when the hood is resting on the lid. These edges I8 are curved outwardly and slightly upward so as to serve as a guide for an envelope or other gummed substance to pass under the hood or housing 9 and over the lid I9. The lid I9 is formed with an opening directly und-er the longitudinal center of the housing 9 and its moistening wheel. This opening is formed by cutting the lid and pushing the edges I-I of the cut inwardly so that they will arc similar to the arc of the adjacent portion or base of the moistening wheel, as shown in Figs. 3 and l0. This portion o1" the lid I9 cooperates with the hood or housing 9 to form practically a continuous circular housing for the moistening wheel. This opening of the lid Il) serves as a drain for excess moisture that may accumulate on the wheel as well as to guide the envelope so that it will have direct engagement with the wheel in a manner so as to lift the wheel and its housing 9, when the envelope is passed under the curved edges I9 of the housing 9.

The moistem'ng wheel is journaled in the housing by two bearing surfaces. One of the bearing surfaces is removably disposed in the housing 9 and the other bearing is formed by drilling one end of the housing 9 and permitting the round head or" the bolt l 'to rest in the drilled opening. The removable bearing I2, which supports the l other end of the core I, is formed of a relatively thick piece of material having vertical edges that terminate in an arc shaped top that corresponds to the arc of the inner walls of the housing 9. 'I'he vertical edges of the bearing member I2 are each provided with integral ears or lips I3 that extend outwardly therefrom and are formed in an approximate square. This member I2 is removably positioned in the housing 9 so that it may swing therein in position so that its arc shaped top will clear the inner surface of the housing 9 and so that its face will be longitudinally with the tubing I. The center of the flat member I2 is drilled and adapted to pass over the tubing I so as to serve as a bearing for the same. The member I2 is supported in the housing 9 by means of the ears I3 projecting into slots I4 which are cut out of insertions I9 which are positioned against the inner walls oi the housing 9. The member I9 may be formed in one piece that is adapted to be curved and wedged into the housing 9, as shown in Fig. 9; or it may consist of two parts that may be welded or otherwise secured' to the inner side walls of the housing 9, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8. In either case the member or members I9 serve to provide the necessary surface to receive and support the ears ofthe member I2. Each of the slots I4 are formed so that they continue towards the bolt end of the housing forming an opening I4 which immediately widens to a point below the slot I4 and at a point so that the member I2 may be directed into the housing 9, so that the ears I3 will travel into the slots I4'. The portion of the slot I4, adjacent the slot I4' is of less width than the diameter of the relatively round slot I4 and positioned so that the base of the slot I4' is slightly lower than its immediate registration with the slot I4. This permits the lips or ears I3 to rest in the slots I4 without any tendency of sliding into the opening I4. When the member I2 is to be positioned in the housing 9, it is turned so that its drilled opening is at right angles to the tubing I, and it is held in this position until its ears or lips I3 enter the slots I4', then it may be released and permitted to swing to normal position. This form of support of the bearing permits manual installation and removal of the same when the moistening wheel is to be removed from the housing 9.

The end of the housing 9, adjacent the member I2, isr provided with an integral curved projection I6 which is adapted to extend into an opening I5 of the lid IIJ. This projection I6 serves to pivotally hold the housing 9 on the lid in the desired position'. Further anchorage of the housing consists of an opening in the lid I9 which will receive the lower portion of the bearing member I2. I2 is adapted to project into the lid Iil and engage the side walls I1 of the lid opening. The projection I6 and the contactof the member I2 with the lid I9 serves to hold the housing 9 and its wheel in the desired relation with the water well 8. Both contacts will permit the housing 9 and its wheel to be raised by the envelope passed between the housing and lid I9. The extent of projection of the member I2 into the lid opening The lower portion of the member will permit the housing 9 to be raised a considerable height without endangering the longitudinal alignment of the housing and its moistening wheel with the arc shaped opening of the lid.

The method of installing the moistening wheel 5 and its core I in the housing 9, permits simple and inexpensive assembly of the device. The wick end of the core I is iirst inserted into the member I2, then the other end of the core or tubing I is positioned so that the bolt 4 may be screwed into the end of the tubing I and adapted to extend into the opening of the other end of the housing 9. The projection of the core through the bearing member I2 insures protection against the wick becoming entangled with the objectY to be moistened or the moistening wheel. This particular structure may be varied considerably in the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. The form of practically enclosing the water carrying elements makes a more sanitary form of moistener, protectsr the operators hands from becoming gummed, eliminates the necessity of frequent replenishing of the water supply caused from excessive evaporation that is possible in the conventional types of moisteners, and protects the working parts from accumulation of foreign elements.

What I claim, is:

1. A moistener consisting of a housing formed to incase a moistening wheel journaled therein, a water container having a lid, said housing being swingingly supported on said lid and adapted to support said wheel over and above an opening in said lid so that the same may be free of contact therewith, means for conveying water from said container to said wheel, and said housing being disposed relative to said lid so that an envelope passed between said lid and said housing will lift said housing and rotate said Wheel during its passage therebetween.

2. A moistener consisting of a housing formed to incase a mostening wheel journaled therein, a water container having a perforated lid therefor, said housing being disposed upon said lid in a manner so that an envelope passed thereunder will raise said housing and rotate said wheel, said wheel consisting of porous absorbing material Ythe center of which is adapted to extend through said lid and into said container, and the bearing of said wheel being extended into said lid so as to govern the movement of said housing relative to said lid.

3. A moistener consisting of a housing adapted to incase a moistening wheel journaled therein, said wheel being disposed in said housing so that the moistening surface thereof is free from contact with other portions of said moistener, a water container, said housing being pivotally disposed in operative relation with said container, said wheel consisting of a hollow axle having an absorbing porous material for the face thereof, a wick projected through said axle longitudinally and in direct contact with said face of said wheel and extended into said container, and one of the bearings of said wheel being formed to serve as a guard for protecting the extended portion of said wick from said wheel.

fi. A moistener consisting of a hood adapted to cover a moistening wheel and rotatably support the same, a water container, said hood being in pivotal relation with said container whereby an envelope passed between said hood and said container will support said Inoistening wheel and one end of said hood, and rotate said wheel, said wheel consisting of a porous substance having a perforated axle, a wick passed from said container through said axle and in engagement with the inner periphery of said porous substance, and the means for journaling said wheel being adapted to protect the portion of said wick passing to the container from said wheel during the rotation thereof and also being adapted to retain said hood in desired relation with said container during the lifting of said hood and wheel by said envelope.

5. A moistener consisting of a housing formed to incase a moistening wheel journaled therein, a water container having a lid provided with a depression which converges into an opening into said container, said housing being provided with a rear hook adapted to project into said lid and swingingly anchor said housing on said lid whereby the same may be raised slightly above said lid and in horizontal alignment therewith, said housing being adapted to support said wheel over and above said indentation and slightly within said container in a manner whereby said wheel is free of peripheral contact with parts of said moistener, said wheel consisting of a plurality of porous washers operatively disposed on a perw forated tubing, a wick inserted into said tubing and extended into said container for conveying moisture from said container to said said washers, one end of said tubing being provided with a removable extension adapted to project into a bearing disposed in said housing, the other end of said tubing being adapted to project into a removable swinging bearing disposed in said housing, said swinging bearing being formed so as to control the movement of said housing relative to the said lid and protect the extended portion of said wick from Contact with said moistening surface and an envelope disposed in operative relation with said moistener, and said depression being formed to guide an envelope between said housing and said lid whereby said envelope will contact the moistening surface of said wheel and o tend to support said wheel and its housing.

EARL M. BROOKS. 

